SQUASH SEASON EMAIL NEWSLETTER

18 Aug

Get an amazing Squash Soup recipe, and see Rylee Rattai’s member profile and testimonial in this issue of our email newsletter...

It's Squash season!

Nothing is more comforting on a crisp fall day than a hot bowl of soup. Especially when that soup is healthy, nutritious, and delicious! Butternut squash is a powerhouse of nutrients. It boasts 457% of your daily requirements of vitamin A, and 52% of vitamin C to name a couple. In this weeks campaign I am featuring my Curried Butternut Squash soup recipe, which The Heartwood Cafe in the Gaslight Plaza serves often! Curry adds a nice touch of spice to offset the sweetness of the squash and the apples. Tumeric has over 600 proven health benefits and a touch of apple cider vinegar and cinnamon keeps your blood sugar levels in check! Its gluten free (as long as you make your own chicken stock), dairy free, and certified clean gourmet! Enjoy everyone!~Marla

Curried Butternut Squash Soup ~ from Marla's Kitchen

Prepare the SquashYou will need one-3-4lb squash.Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place upside down on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. You know when it’s done when you can really smell it, but you can pierce it with a sharp knife in the center if you like as well. If knife pierces easily, squash is done.

For the Soup1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil2 apples, peeled and chopped (save your peels for your juicer, or eat them while you are cooking. All fibre in the apple is in the skin!) I use Gala apples. Granny smith would be good as well.1 medium onion choppedSautee all ingredients together until onions are transparent. About 5 minutesAdd 2.5 tsp medium curry powder, dash cinnamon, turmeric, and ground ginger, and stir to bring the spices to life. About 30 seconds

Add 2 cups no salt added chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add cooked diced squash. Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat and cool.In small batches, puree in a food processor and return to pot on the stove. If soup is too thick- add more no salt added chicken stock. Add a dash of apple cider vinegar to offset the sweetness, about 1-2 teaspoons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Member Profile- Rylee Rattai

Before - January 2013

After - August 2013

Rylee's testimonial

Nothing comes without hard work, and dedication. My name is Rylee
Rattai. I'm twenty one years old, and working out has now become part of
my life style. I love prepping healthy food for myself, and keeping
track of what I’m eating through the day. I love the lifestyle changes
Marla and Heartbreaker coached me into adapting into. The Bikini Contest
in January of 2013 was what really kick started me into understanding
the elements of clean eating and proper nutrition. My family loves it
too since not only did I cook and prep healthy food for myself but for
them as well. When I started at Heartbreaker I was 166 pounds at my
heaviest. I felt tired, sluggish, and unhappy. I made it a goal to go 4
days a week to Heartbreaker. I loved that the classes were only 40
minutes long and I could burn an upwards of 400 calories. My favorite
classes are Marla’s noon class as well as
Chila's night classes. These ladies deliver tough workouts- they are as
hard as you want them to be! They always challenged me to do better, and
when I started, I was doing the Level 1 in the workouts. Over time I
built my strength and stamina to achieving the Level 3 in the classes,
just like my instructors! Needless to say, fitness and nutrition is
incredibly important to me now, and even in university I am keeping up
with a 5 day a week workout schedule. I believe if you put your mind to
something- anything can happen, and for me working out is my stress
release. To date, I now weigh 142 pounds, my fat percentage has gone
down down to 22.9 percent, almost 10% lower and I have lost 21 inches in
total. I am happy now, I have more energy, I love clothes shopping, and
what makes me the most proud is that I can call myself fit and strong-
it’s a great feeling! If you want a
challenge and you want to see changes- Heartbreaker will do that for
you, you just have to understand that changes don't happen in a day, it
takes time and eventually you'll look in that mirror and see that person
who you always wanted to be.
~Rylee

Rylee's go to morning meal

1 egg white, porridge oats with chopped apples and a dash
cinnamon if you need more sweetness use a touch of unpasteurized honey.

Quote of the day

Lift weights. Running may burn a lot of calories while you're doing it,
but weight lifting helps you burn more calories all day long.